


One of the Cats

by LadyWisteria



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, Kuroo is best sempai pass it on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 19:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14087781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyWisteria/pseuds/LadyWisteria
Summary: Inuoka's feeling a bit down and Kuroo tries to help.





	One of the Cats

"Alright, kiddos, who want a pork bun?"

"Ooh, me, me!"

"I want one, too!"

"Kiddos? What are you, a grandpa?" Yaku teased as Kuroo took a pork bun for himself and then handed the bag to Shibiyama, an eager Lev reaching over the smaller boy's shoulders and sneaking two when he thought Kuroo wasn't looking.

"Shut up or no pork buns for you. Hey, Inuoka, hurry up or there aren't gonna be any left!" he called to the first year trailing behind the rest of the group.

"Oh, uh, right." Inuoka accepted one from Shibiyama with a brief smile and kept walking, head down.

"Hey." Yaku said as they watched him go. "Does it seem like Inuoka is upset about something? He was awfully quiet at practice today. Not to mention when there's free food he's usually the first one in line."

Kuroo chewed thoughtfully for a moment before strolling after the first year and slinging an arm around his shoulders, a mischievous grin on his face. "Oi. Inuoka."

"Y-yes?"

"You know if anything's bothering you that you can always confide in your sempais, right?"

Inuoka's face froze in a polite smile and he gave an obviously forced laugh. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Kuroo-san."

"C'mon, it's obvious that something's bugging you." Yaku jumped in. "You were super mopey all practice."

"It's fine if you don't want to tell us." Kai cut in smoothly. "But we're all willing to listen if you do."

Inuoka looked away, hunching his shoulders. "It's nothing really." he mumbled.

Yaku jumped to his side opposite Kuroo and poked him in the ribs. "Nothing, my foot. You didn't even get excited about Kuroo buying us pork buns. C'mon, you can tell us."

"Seriously, it's nothing. It's stupid anyways."

"If it's upsetting you then it's not stupid." Kai assured him.

Inuoka looked away, biting his lower lip, before saying, "Sometimes I don't…ya know…sometimes I don't feel like I really belong on this team." He said it in a rush before shrugging off Kuroo's arm, cheeks reddening. There was a stunned silence.

"…And why is that?" Kuroo asked finally.

Inuoka avoided his eyes, scuffing a sneaker in the dirt and mumbling, "I know what everybody says, ya know. About how I don't fit in with the rest of the team, cause you're all smart and I'm not."

"Inuoka-kun, that's not true-" Shibiyama protested, but Kai put a hand on his shoulder and he fell silent, watching Inuoka with anxious eyes.

"Their joke is that I'm more like a dog than a cat. Cause I'm dumb and I act all goofy and happy-go-lucky all the time." He rubbed at his eyes. "And I know that they're right and that it's silly to get so upset over something stupid like that, but sometimes it really hurts, ya know? I'm part of this team, too…"

There was another awkward silence, everyone unsure as to what to say, finally broken by Kuroo exhaling loudly. He rested a hand on the younger boy's back, feeling him jump at his touch.

"Hey. C'mere with me a sec."

Inuoka gulped but allowed himself to be guided away from the group.

"I'm sorry. I know it's stupid-"

"I have a secret to tell you."

"Huh?"

"But you have to promise not to tell anyone else."

"Um, okay…"

Kuroo leaned closer, his warm breath tickling Inuoka's ear.

"I like dogs better than cats."

"…Huh?" Inuoka drew back, staring at him with wide eyes. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yep." Kuroo patted him on the back. "Which, if you really are more dog than cat, automatically makes you my favorite."

"For real?" His expression suddenly wilted. "Wait. You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"

"Cross my heart." Kuroo said solemnly, and did so. "I for real like them better than cats." He put a long finger to his lips and winked at him. "That's our little secret though, okay? If I as captain told my team – a team literally called the Cats – that I liked dogs better, I'd probably have a riot on my hands."

Inuoka giggled. "Don't worry, Kuroo-san, your secret's safe with me." It was the first time he'd looked truly happy all day, and Kuroo smiled back gently.

Lev frowned in confusion. "And now he's all happy again? Kuroo-san, what did you tell him?"

He and Inuoka grinned at each other.

"It's a secret!" the first year said gleefully.

"Whaat? That's no fun." Lev pouted.

"Oi, you told him that you like dogs better than cats, didn't you?" Yaku said accusingly, and Inuoka and Kuroo both started.

"Crap." Kuroo muttered, peering warily over his shoulder. "I forgot he and Kai already know about that."

"Kuroo-san, is that true?" Lev demanded, and Kuroo held his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, you got me. That's the big secret. I like dogs more than cats."

Yamamoto cupped his hands to his mouth. "Booooo."

"Traitor!" Lev added.

Kuroo made a face at Inuoka. "I told you they'd riot. Thanks a lot, Yakkun."

The libero didn't answer. Instead he was watching Inuoka with the intense, narrow-eyed frown he got on his face whenever he strongly disagreed with something someone had said. Which was usually followed by-

"You know none of that matters, right?"

-yes, that. A harshly worded expression of his opinion. Inuoka cringed at his reproving tone, and Kai said, "Hey now, Yaku." Yaku ignored him.

"Who cares what anybody else says? First of all, all that 'cats are smart' and 'dogs are dumb and happy' stuff is just a bunch of dumb stereotypes."

"I know that, but-" Inuoka began, but Yaku cut him off.

"They say you're more like a dog cause you're goofy and you've got a one-track mind, stuff like that, right? Like a dog chasing a ball."

Inuoka grimaced. "R-right."

"But on the other hand, "one-track mind" is just another way of saying you've got great focus, right? Just like a cat stalking its prey, or something like that."

Inuoka stared at him.

"Plus," Yaku continued, "I dunno why people keep acting like cats are all reserved and regal and crap when YouTube is literally stuffed full of videos of cats doing stupid and goofy stuff."

Fukunaga snickered.

"I guess you're right." Inuoka said, smiling slowly.

"Of course I'm right." Yaku said dismissively. "I'm always right. You're a member of this team, therefore you're every bit a "cat" as the rest of us. Has nothing to do with how you act. You're one of us, no ifs, ands, or buts about it." He held up a fist. "And anyone who has a problem with it can take it up with me."

The first and second years all oohed admiringly. Kai and Kuroo exchanged proud smiles over Yaku's head.

"Anyways! It's not like you're the only one on this team who doesn't fit the general idea of what a cat should be like." He pointed dramatically at Lev. "This guy's name literally means "lion", but have you ever seen anybody who acts less like a cat in your life?"

"Yaku-saaan….!" Lev whined. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means cats are supposed to be smart, agile, and good hunters." Yamamoto snorted. "But you're an idiot, you're clumsy, and you can't catch your "prey" worth a crap." He let out a bark of laughter as Lev sulked.

"Exactly. However. My earlier point still stands." Yaku said, and Yamamoto respectfully fell silent. "No matter how smart you are, or how good your receives or your blocks are or aren't, once you're on this team you're one of the Cats. And that's that."

There was an awed silence.

That lasted all of five seconds before Lev let out a wail and threw himself at Yaku, wrapping his long arms around his neck and tearing up. "Yaku-saaaan…!"

"Ow, hey! Get off me, you stupid string bean!" Yaku struggled to pry him off, face reddening. With some difficulty he wriggled loose and shoved the younger boy away. "Quit screeching and go eat your pork buns before I eat them for you."

Kuroo leered at him, jabbing him repeatedly in the ribs. "You're not fooling anyone with all that yelling, you demon senpai. You're such a softie, Yakkun."

Yaku slapped the offending hand away, blushing even harder. "Shut up! And Fukunaga, don't you dare!" he snapped as the second year crept up behind him with outstretched arms, intent on joining in on the hugging. Lev was already hovering again and Yamamoto, unable to resist the rare opportunity to harass their stern senior a little, happily joined in. Within seconds an irate Yaku was buried under a pile of underclassmen who seemed completely unfazed by all his yelling. Kenma just shook his head at them and turned his attention back to his game, half a pork bun hanging from his mouth.

Inuoka sighed, prompting concerned glances from both Kuroo and Kai, but the younger boy was smiling. "I feel a lot better now, Kuroo-san, thanks."

Kuroo smiled back. "No problem." He bowed, gesturing dramatically with one arm and nearly smacking Kai in the face. "Your wise sempai Kuroo is always here for you." Kai rolled his eyes at Inuoka, prompting another fit of giggles. When Kuroo shot him a suspicious look Kai just smiled innocently.

"You're just always that kind, right, Kuroo-san?" Inuoka teased.

"As a matter of fact I am, thank you very much." the older boy said indignantly, which only made Inuoka laugh harder.

"Then, always-that-kind-Kuroo-san, do you suppose I could have a second pork bun?"

Kuroo huffed a laugh and ruffled the startled first year's hair briefly. "Sure thing, kiddo."

"…"

"…Grandpa."

"Shut up, Yakkun."

**Author's Note:**

> Summer of Evolution stage play: out  
> DVD: watched  
> I am forcibly dragged back into the Haikyuu fandom
> 
> I’m all for the fandom’s running joke that Inuoka is a dog among cats, but I also love the moments in the anime and the second stage play where they very clearly portray him as being just as catlike as the rest of his team.  
> Inuoka’s a good boy I hope he gets some play time in the upcoming chapters.
> 
> (Said upcoming chapters got me scared y’all like I’m not even remotely emotionally prepared for this.)


End file.
